Year after torturous year it continues. Even though the LAW is supposed to PROTECT them, BLM’s malicious targeting of the American Wild and Free-roaming Horses and Burros is one of the most horrific assaults on innocent living beings carried out by U.S. government SINCE the attempted annihilation of the Native Indigenous Tribes of North America! The similarities are chilling!

The government ‘s determination to drive to extinction the wild horses and burros just never stops. It cuts to the core of American values by decimating the icon that so strongly symbolizes the spirit of America – that of strength, survival, freedom, excellence, and persistent determination.

Despite millions of phone calls, messages, emails, petition signatures, letters, demonstrations, protests, and personal attendance to meetings – by concerned people the world over, imploring BLM to STOP their deliberate, systematic crimes against the wild horses and burros, yet BLM forges ahead, without the slightest twinge of conscience, and lacking even the smallest hint of compassion or decency. They continue to purposely use heartless and brutal methods, and they do this over and over, round up after torturous roundup, year after year… and they are NEVER held accountable for their crimes!!

** UPDATE: Just before Christmas 2013, some 120 of the dogs were loaded into a transport truck and driven around for several days by Steve Markwell (operator of the Olympic Animal “Sanctuary”) before connecting with a reputable rescue organization, Guardians of Rescue, down in the Arizona desert. The dogs finally got out of travel crates as staff and volunteers hurried to make kennels for them, supply Vet care, and give them food and water on a regular basis. Most, if not all of them hadn’t received decent nourishing food, clean water, a clean place to move around and lay down, since going to OAS. For several, it was the first time of freedom for something like 7 years of being crammed in travel crates. About 40 or more dogs are still unaccounted for. A flurry of fear for them and speculation surrounds the topic.

######### Above Update posted on 2-10-2014 ########

Olympic Animal Sanctuary – “Endless Hell” to 150 or so dogs. Most are in cages and travel crates, cold, hungry in darkness for YEARS!

.. Apparently when KOMO 4 News team of Seattle did a story recently on Olympic Animal Sanctuary, Steve Markwell, the owner/operator of that Endless Hell for Dogs, decided to “upgrade” the facility and ordered some new cages. Of the roughly 160 dogs held prisoner there, probably as many as 80 to 100 or more are held captive in travel crates they arrived in, 24/7 for up to SEVEN YEARS.

.. Trying to show himself as a good guy, Markwell proudly announced that with the new cages, he was able to “get rid of” six of the travel crates. SIX? REALLY? While the others remain in travel crates? Unfortunately, one of the dogs was so hungry (they all are) that he showed food aggression. TO punish him, Markwell removed him from a “kennel” and forced him to into a travel crate!! That man has absolutely no common sense. Now, that dog is confined to a travel crate forced to live in his own waste and probably (knowing Markwell’s mentality of punishing dogs) won’t be fed for even a longer time than the usual 2 or 3 times a WEEK. He is telling people the place is cleaned up and improved!! And he expects the public outrage to go away. I don’t think so, Mr. Markwell!!

.. Even if he actually did let a few of the dogs out of the extreme confinement of the travel crates they existed in for years on end, that doesn’t change the fact he has held them captive in extreme confinement for years.Even if he gets ALL the travel crate dogs into the small cages he seems to be installing… That certainly does NOT vindicate him for the years of hell on earth he has caused the dogs to suffer!! It does not undo the fact that he has kept them hungry, and literally dying of thirst… and feeds them only 2 or 3 times a week – “food” consisting only of a raw turkey neck or handful of cow innards.

.. I don’t care if he puts them all up in the Disneyland Hotel for a week. The fact STILL remains that he has deliberately and knowingly held them captive in horrific conditions for YEARS – up to 7 years!! Some of the dogs were BORN THERE!! And he holds them captive, in the dark, cold, hungry and thirsty, just like the others who he calls “dangerous”, in small cages (he calls kennels) they can move around in, but certainly not space to play, or get exercise – unless you call spinning in circles all day long, exercise.

Animal Advocacy organizations have offered to help in various ways. Unless they are offering cash, he refuses. Legitimate rescues and pet foster homes, offered to take some of the “non-dangerous” dogs for adoption. He says he is down-sizing, yet Markwell refused, saying he sleeps with them. (WHAT??) Is there more going on here than meets the eye?

Excerpt: “With families struggling to make ends meet, kids who normally receive a free breakfast and lunch at school don’t have those opportunities during the summer months, said Karen Parnell, deputy director of Skagit County Community Action Agency and a member of the new 1095 Club, named for its goal of three meals a day, every day of the year for hungry kids.”
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The summer meal program in Skagit Valley is admirable, and is very commendable!! I appreciate programs, organizations and individuals that are concerned about, and meeting the needs of children / youth / families being fed. This is important to the present and the future of the children and youth. (I’m talking about people caring enough to help others… not a government mandate that forcibly takes your money and gives to others.)

Please note, however, there are families who don’t qualify for free breakfast and lunch programs but the children go without regular meals or nourishment. These families may have working parents (family members) but their income is limited and their financial obligations such that it is difficult to buy school lunch, or sometimes to even provide nourishing breakfast (meals) at home.

Some families may have working parents and may not be hurting financially, but still the children/youth of the home get little or nothing to eat in their own homes – for whatever reason.

In fact, many children and youth go without adequate meals or nourishment for a variety of reasons beyond their control. This means they are continuously hungry and under-nourished.

Conversely, there are families who suffer joblessness and struggle to make ends meet yet they make every effort to provide nourishment for the children in the home – even if it means the adults going without certain things – perhaps skipping meals and other “necessities” so the children can eat.
(We’ve been there, done that, more than a few times.)

Nutritious Meal

Point being: we can’t just lump people into categories by cultural-ethnic groups or socio-economic groups to say that children / youth from this group or that group need or don’t need consideration of adequate nourishment.

A hungry child / youth has more difficulty with concentration and learning than one who is properly nourished. Being hungry, they struggle with school and with everyday life situations. There is also the consideration of the physical impairment often caused by continuous under-nourishment. Consider, too, that a hungry or starving child or youth is more vulnerable to those who would prey on the defenseless with less than honorable intentions.

Generally speaking, people do the best they can with what they have. But, when we can, we need to go beyond thinking of ourselves and see others who need someone to care.

It is this author’s opinion that, as communities, we need to do what is in our power to make sure that children, youth, and pregnant women are able to have nourishment, and that heads of households have job opportunities. These are valuable investments to the future of those individuals and families, and to our communities and our nation.

(The author speaks from personal experience having been a malnourished child and youth; as well as having personally known, and known-of children and youth with similar situations through the years. In addition, drawing from personal experience of being a financially struggling parent, making sure the children had nourishment – even when it sometimes meant going without food and other necessities. The author and her family have spent a lifetime caring and reaching out to the needs in the community.)

Discussion pertaining to animal shelters who have Death Row lists and regularly kill animals shortly after they arrive. WHY do they kill so many healthy and adoptable animals??? Please also see related links below the discussion.

Dedicated to our Silvi boy. RIP

Advocacy for animals who have been captured, found, or owner surrendered to animal shelters can be such a heartbreaking effort. Being geographically far removed from the “kill shelters” listed online, where scores of needy animals are scheduled to be killed within a few hours of posting their need, I’ve been un-successful in adoption of the ones I tried so desperately to save. It is heartbreaking because I wish that we could save vast numbers (okay, all of them) and help them find good, safe, loving forever homes.

It is crushing to see the Death Row lists posted each evening, then spend hours (sometimes all night) posting and sharing, with hopes and prayers to save as many as possible – only to find that up to 90% have been killed anyway. It makes no sense, and I have been searching for answers to the dilemma.

Several recent articles state that law violations and bogus kill orders are commonplace on animals who are clearly healthy, fit and very adoptable. In my opinion, to expect “transparency” of these rogue outfits falls short of ACCOUNTABILITY in the business of “Animal Shelters”, “Animal Care and Control”, and what-ever name they may be doing business as.

Let’s be clear.. they ARE businesses who do in fact make a profit – even though their business license and description states they do business as “non-profit” or 501C3.

Many seem to operate their business in a way that will take the least amount of effort – meaning they kill large numbers of animals who come in, some within a few hours of their arrival, simply because they don’t want to bother with them.

ACCOUNTABILITY is what we want, and MUST have, from animal shelters, animal care services, and animal control entities. This is crucial when they accept federal funds, grants from privately or publically funded foundations, or they do fundraising to collect public monies and support. This is of particular concern when it turns out their main management process is to kill large numbers of the animals they are supposedly there to help and protect.

When business is conducted in secret with a thinly veiled pretense of “transparency” yet they are clearly operating with LACK of morality or ethics, and in violation of the law, they must be held accountable for their actions, and their use of funds.

Ethics and accountability seem to be in short supply on so many levels of business and government. However, as Citizens, we would be irresponsible if we did not expect, and demand the practice of ethics and accountability on all levels. The lives of the innocent and defenseless are depending on people like us to demand the changes that will give them an equitable chance to live and be properly cared for.

There is a strong parallel in the “Kill Shelters” and the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) who uses millions of tax dollars to violently round up, trap, and remove Wild Horses and Burros from the public lands the law designated for them to live wild and free, and be protected. Far too many horses and burros are violently and purposely killed every year, mares forced to abort their foals, and young foals run so hard and far that their hooves are diminished to shreds, and they die from the wounds, and countless numbers are secretly trucked across the borders into Mexico and Canada to be brutally slaughtered – all to the financial benefit of the BLM administrators and their circle of friends. These tactics are criminal and should be treated as such. Yet they get by with it year after year.

Isn’t it high time we as Citizens demand accountability on all levels, and lawbreakers be brought to justice – regardless of their position in community or government! Nothing justifies the slaughter of the innocent!! Nothing!!

About the Author: Sue Charles is a life-long animal advocate and activist. Her first public demonstration was at age five while attending a Rodeo. Screaming for them to “stop hurting the animals”, she was finally carried out… still screaming for justice.. and has continued in advocacy efforts ever since.

Most of her numerous kitties and pups through the past 50+ years have been rescues/adoptions. She is currently active in several types of animal rescue and advocacy – in the “real world” and online – as much as her family’s special care needs will allow.

Besides cat and dog advocacy, the author is active in Wild Horse and Burro Advocacy, and Wolf, Bear and Fox Advocacy. She is also a mother, grandmother, and award winning documentary filmmaker. Most of all, she’s a person who passionately cares about others.

Suffered brain explosion upon reading the “press release” – which was NOT meant as an honest announcement of facts but cunningly designed to mislead, deceive and push their own barbaric agenda of horse slaughter. (Truthful overview of the interview / PBS radio show in which Ms Wallis ranted, blamed and outright lied – CLICK HERE. Be sure to read comments under articles.)

In the recent years since first learning about Sue Wallis and her campaign she calls “humane treatment of horses” – which is instead the most sadistic and horrifically brutal and violent methods on earth, (and her relentless push in order to profit from it), the entire thing has made me heart-sick and flares my defenses which were sparked at an early age.

My father and his father were ranchers all their lives, with a special care and interest in horses. My grandfather was a renowned “horse vet” and trainer in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Although I didn’t know Grand-Dad very well, as he passed away when I was young, many say I have his “special way” with animals, and horses in particular.

The first memory of my own efforts for animal advocacy was at the tender age of 5 years, when my family attended a popular rodeo in our area. My young eyes witnessed the rough treatment of the horses, calves, steers and Brahma bulls and I started screaming, “Stop hurting them!” All the “shushing” and explanation did nothing to calm or convince me. Still screaming, and fighting to escape the arms of my parents so I could personally get down there and make the cruelty STOP, I was carried out and have never seen animals in the same way again. Ever since, I’ve been committed to stand in the gap to stop and prevent the mistreatment, abuse and neglect of the innocent and the powerless.

It is through this perspective that I see Ms Wallis as a predator, and she admits that her “interest” in horses is to send them to slaughter and make a healthy profit for herself. The innocent heart of a 5 year old, uncorrupted by greed and hate, rises up in me, causing me to try to put myself in-between the predator and the innocent, defenseless victims.

I will never stop advocating for the innocent victims of this world, until I draw my last breath. Life is NOT about how much money and possessions you can gather for yourself no matter who you have to harm and torture to get it. NO! Real life is about living so as to cause as little harm as possible and in that time, to help, comfort and encourage those who are downtrodden, broken, and have no voice to protect themselves.

In conclusion: There is no justification for inflicting sadism and torture on the innocent and powerless. And to PROFIT from it is beyond CRIMINAL. It is EVIL personified!! Torture for profit MUST STOP!! Horse slaughter MUST STOP!!

Only days ago it became law to allow the return of the violent slaughter of horses within the USA. (See links to several news articles within this post.)

How is it that it took only three congress people to push this wreched law through. And the president, who was out of the country at the time, quickly signed the bill by “auto pen” to fast track the bill into law.

One question that comes to mind: What’s the big rush to get this bill signed into law, that it couldn’t wait a few days till obama returns from his trip. They (Congress) have been sitting on dozens of other, urgent matters, holding them over year after year, and not making a bit of progress. Yet, they rushed this bill through that would escalate the torturous murder done against our friends, the horses of America. It is estimated that soon there will be upward of 300,000 horses brutally killed each year in slaughter houses across the USA.

As posted in the “Howling for Justice” article “Thanks to Obama and Congress, Horse Slaughter is Again Legal in the US”:

Friends, I have news for you: There is nothing sane or humane about the all-out war being waged against the horses of America. The question haunts me daily: “WHY is this happening? And WHY would anyone want to deliberately destroy these beautiful living beings. I just can’t figure out why!

In the article on Technorati “Obama Legalizes Horse Slaughter for Human Consumption”:

What must we do? Here are some ways to help stop the senseless slaughter.

Letters, emails, postcards, phone calls, FAX, occupy, whatever it takes to make a difference for good, and stop the insanity that would otherwise wipe out millions of innocent living beings, in the most horrific and brutal way.

Nothing short of victory for the horses will be acceptable. Nothing less than stopping the insanity of slaughter and shipping to slaughter of the horses. And nothing less than stopping the insanity of the roundup and removal of the wild horses and burros from their freedom in the wild. We can’t stop or slow our pace, or the evil plot against the very icons of freedom will be gone in short order.

In the article on Straight From The Horses Heart, “For the Horses – Occupy Obama’s Fax and Phone line” letter to the president:

This is no time to be faint of heart. We must upgrade our urgent appeal to the president and to congress. Email, mail post cards, phone, and Fax and never, never, NEVER give up until horse slaughter in the USA and the transport of American horses to out-of-country slaughter houses is banned.

Nothing in the entire process of slaughter of horses is decent, humane or even remotely SANE. The whole process is violent, brutal and the most inhumane act of brutality that could be done against another living being. It makes me sick just to think about it, so I won’t go into the bloody torturous details. Also many of the other industries who make vast amounts of money on horses are abusive and cause them to suffer huge amounts of agony and pain. All of these are abhorrant! To use ones power to cause suffering and pain on another living being is NEVER okay! And to do this for monitary profit is even worse!

Regarding the slaughter industry – Horses were NEVER meant to be food, and there are far more reasons than we can list at this time for that.

And then there’s the fact that NOBODY deserves to suffer such horrific and torturous treatment – especially the innocent and the powerless, and those who have contributed so much to BENEFIT humankind, without ever benefiting anything for themselves.

Some who claim it’s the same as cow, pig, sheep or chicken are dead wrong! Cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, fish were designed to use for food. (Check that info out in one of the oldest pieces of history.. called the Bible.) In addition, Cows, pigs, sheep, chickens were NOT used since the beginning of time to faithfully labor, serve as strong and reliable transportation, be ridden into war, or work along side humans to build livelihoods, travel vast distances, settle countries and explore continents. All those for the benefit and often to profit the humans, and never a benefit to themselves. But, Equine (horses, burros and mules) HAVE! And we OWE them better than abusive, torturous treatment, violent death, and to be eaten. It’s DESPICABLE to ignore their great contribution to humanity and SHAMEFUL if we don’t treat them, at the very least, with some human decency.

There is currently something very sinister and evil going on in the form of all-out war to harm and destroy the Equine of the Americas – both wild and domestic: horses, burros and donkeys.

There is NO good reason or justification for the deliberate killing off of the equine. The unjust reason is to satisfy the greed of people who profit big from the slaughter industry. Remember folks… YOUR tax dollars are used to help make a huge profit for others who don’t care how they amass their fortunes – even when it’s by the blood and suffering of the innocent and the powerless.

The way the world is going.. someday people will wish the horses were back, because they could be our only mode of transportation. But, it may be forever too late if the equine holocaust continues. (Unless you, who say their are all the same, are going to ride your pig, sheep, cow or chicken to town and back. Just saying.)

In conclusion, it is nothing but the insanity of blood-thirsty greed that drives the evil people to be party to the torture and killing of horses – or any living being.

It is said, and I believe it, that the greatness of a nation can be measured by how they treat their innocent and defenseless. The USA is rapidly becoming a nation lacking the value of life, and thinking in terms of “disposable” living beings. This is leading down a very dark path – one which could be the complete destruction of a nation that once was a beacon of hope to the world – where every living being had a chance.

Heart 2 Care Purpose

Current Focus includes working to:
* EXPOSE the torturous conditions of 120 - 160 dogs at Olympic Animal Sanctuary, Forks, WA
* SAVE the 120 - 160 dogs held captive in abusive conditions at Olympic Animal Sanctuary, Forks, WA
* Assure the dogs are RESCUED and MOVED to PROPER facilities with PROPER CARE and living conditions.

* Effect change to STOP the brutal WILD HORSE and BURRO ROUNDUPS and REMOVAL from their law protected range areas.
* STOP B.L.M. ABUSE of the Wild Horses and Burros.
* STOP BLM deliberate blocking access to natural water sources for Wild Horses and Burros.
* Pursue RESCUE efforts for the more than 40,000 Wild Horses now in captivity, warehoused in government run long-term holding pens, and to make sure they are either “adopted” to caring people, or all others released back to the wild.
* STOP the Slaughter of Horses

Generally:
* To ADVOCATE for those who cannot defend themselves.
* TAKE ACTION to effect change, improve the situation, repair the damage.
* Compile and share info from other sources, discuss critical issues.
* Provide ACTION PLAN so those who are desperate for advocacy can get the help they need and deserve.
* TOGETHER we CAN make a DIFFERENCE for GOOD.